Automatic drying apparatus



June 2, 1942.

A. 5. JACKSON ETAL AUTOMATIC DRYING AFPARATUS Filed Feb; 25, 1939 INVENTORS AfJwckson C-AHe we wF-SWrigh ATTORN June 2,' 1942. A. s. JACKSON ETAL 212351336 AUTOMATIC DRYING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 25, 1939 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTORS 1? CAJYeyne irt,

ATTORN 11 1 11 1 1 /1 1 1, HI 11 1, 11 11 I 1 1 111111 11 1 1 1 11 1 1 1 11 1 11 1 \v 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 17 11 1 u\ 1 1/ 1 11 1 1 1 V11 1 11 11 1 1 Patented June 2, 1942 Albert S. Jackson, Wood River, and Clarence A.

Heyne and Francis S. Wright, Alton, 111., assignorsto Owens-Illinois Glass Company, a

. corporation of Ohio Application February 25, 1939; Serial No. 258,424

1 Claim.

The present invention relates to drying apparatus and more specifically to automatic drying apparatus designed for use indrying the decorating material which is applied to articles of glassware such as bottles, tumblers and the like in the multi-color decoration thereof.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a fully automatic drying apparatus which may be positioned between a pair of synchronized decorating machines and which will operate to receive bottles or other articles from the machine which applies the first color decoration to thearticles; convey the articles through a drying oven in which hot air is circulated around the articles; convey the articles through a cooling chamber in which cold air is circulated around the articles to remove th heat absorbed thereby in the drying oven, in order that the articles shall not be too hot for proper decoration by the machine which applies the second color decoration;

and finally deliver the dried and cooled articles to the latter machine for decoration thereby.

Another object of the invention is to provide a fully automatic apparatus of the type outlined above in which the articles in passing through the drying oven are efficiently dried, thedrying air passing across the surfaces of the articles from both sides thereof. A correlative object of the invention is to provide such an apparatus in which cooling air is also passed across the surfaces of the articles from both sides thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide a drying apparatus of this character in which provision is made for preventing the articles from coming into contact with each other and for. preventing the decorated regions thereof from rubhing against the walls of the drying oven or cooling chamber or against any stationary part of the apparatus.

A still further object ofthe invention in an apparatus of this nature is to provide a dryin apparatus in which the articles undergoing treatment are progressively moved through the drying oven and cooling chamber by the same conveying means, thereby eliminating special transfer or handling equipment at the point at which the transfer is made.

Other objects of the invention, not at this time enumerated, will become readily apparent hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a drying apparatus constructed according to the principles of the present invention-and showing the same along the line 44 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

Referring now to Fig. 1, briefly the apparatus involves in its general organization a wheeled frame or carrier'lll adapted to be supported on the floor For other supporting surface and interposed between a pair of decorating machines the discharge and receiving conveyors for which are shown at H and I2 respectively. One decorating machine is designed to apply one component color of a decoration or lettering to the bottles B or othenarticles undergoing decoration while theother machine is designed to apply a second component color of the decoration or lettering. Thearticles B are transferred at a receiving station R from the conveyor ll of the first decorating machine onto a series of pads l3 mounted on a conveyor chain 23 forming part of an endless chain type conveyor assembly l4 which is built into and forms a part of the frame ill and by means of which the articles move progressively along a tortuous path through a drying oven I5 in which the decorating material or the second decorating machine preparatory to receiving thereon the second component color of the decoration or lettering to be applied thereto. The empty pads l3 are returned on the conveyor l4 to the receiving station R along the outside of the cooling chamber I6 and drying oven IS. The process is continuous.

Referring now to Fig. 2, the articles B are delivered to the discharge conveyor ll of the first decorating machine (not shown) by a cradle 9 and proceed along the conveyor in the direction of the arrow and occupy uniformly spaced positions in alignment thereon. As the articles approach the end of the conveyor II they move into engagement with a stationary bar I! which extends diagonally of the conveyor I I- and by means of which the articles have imparted thereto a lateral component of movement and are shifted laterally on the conveyor II toward the conveyor I4 while at the same time continuing to advance on the former conveyor. I

As each article engages the stationary bar I1, one of a series of fingers I8 which extend laterally and outwardly from an endless chain I9 mounted on sprockets 20 and 2I engages the article and assists the conveyor I I in propelling the article from the latter in the resultant vectorial direction of movement of the articles after they have engaged the bar IT. The sprocket 20 is driven in timed relationship to the movements of the first decorating. machine conveyor I I and the fingers I8 on the chain I9 are so spaced around the chain that proper coordination between the fingers and articles to accomplish the result just set forth is attained.

The conveyor is driven by means of a motor M having a chain and sprocket connection 44 .through a gear box 44' by means of which the chain I9 is driven. The motor M is also employed for driving the first decorating machine.

The endless conveyor chain 23 follows an irregular path of movement, the nature of which will become apparent hereinafter. Generally, the conveyor assembly I4 includes a series of pairs of spaced supporting bars 22. adapted to slidingly support on the upper surfaces thereof the pads I3. The pads I3 are equally spaced on the endless chain 23 which is suspended from the pads and which passes through the spaces provided between the various bars 22.

Still referring to Fig. 2, the endless conveyor chain 23 is provided with a straightaway portion- 24 which is coextensive with a part of the conveyor II and which occupies a position in close proximity thereto. This straightaway portion 24 exists by virtue of a pair of sprocket wheels 25 and 28 (see also Fig. 1) mounted on vertically extending shafts 21 that are supported by and rotatably Joumalled in bearing boxes 23 suitably mounted on the frame III.

The movement of the conveyor chain 23 is timed in synchronism with the movements of the two decorating machines and the pads I3 are so spaced on the conveyor chain 23 that as each article B leaves the conveyor II it will move onto one of the padsat the receiving station R, the

level of the upper surface of the pads at this station being substantially the level of the upper surface of the conveyor II. The length of the fingers I8 is such that the articles B are propelled well inwardly of the pads I3 toward the center thereof as shown at the lower left-hand portion of Fig. 2.

The drying oven I is of rectangular box-like construction and includes front and rear end walls 30 and 3| (see also Fig. 1), side walls 32 and 33 which are in the form of hinged doors, a top wall 34, and a bottom wall 35 which underlies the conveyor I4. The various walls of the oven I 5 are of double wall construction with insulating material 36 between the panels thereof.

The conveyor chain 23 is provided with a straightaway portion 31 (Fig. 2) existing by virtue of the sprocket wheel 26 and a sprocket wheel 38 and along which the pads I3 with the articles B thereon travel as they enter the drying oven I5.

The pads I3 enter the drying oven I5 at one forward corner thereof, pass around the sprocket wheel 38 and move transversely of the oven toward the wall 32. Movement of the pads I3 through the oven I5 thereafter is in a tortuous path, a series 39 of sprocket wheels being positioned in alignment just inside the wall 32 and a second and opposed series 40 of sprocket wheels being positioned just inside the wall 33, and around which sprocket wheels the pads I3 pass at each change of direction thereof. It is to be noted that the sprocket wheels 39 are disposed outside of the closed path of movement defined by the chain 23 while the sprocket wheels 40 are disposed inside of this path. The pads I3 and articles B thereon leave the drying oven at the rear end thereof adjacent the comer near the wall 32 as shown in Fig. 1.

The supporting bars 22 of each pair within the drying oven are of different lengths, one bar extending arcuately around an adjacent sprocket as at 50 and terminating in close proximity to the end of a similarly arranged bar 22 of the next adjacent pair thereof. The pads I3 which slide upon and are supported by the bars 22 ride around the axis of each sprocket in making their various changes of direction and are partly supported on the curved ends of the bars 22 and partly supported on the upper surface of the sprocket, a boss 51 being provided on each sprocket for this purpose.

Returning now to Fig. 2, each pad I3 is formed with an upstanding rim H at the periphery thereof which extends around the pad through an arc of slightly more than one hundred and eighty degrees. The periphery of the pad directly opposite the rim H is cut away as at 42 to provide a fiat side. In the straightaway portion 24 of the conveyor I4, the fiat sides of the pads occupy a position in close proximity to the side of the conveyor II in order to provide sufficient surface area for the articles B to move onto the pads preparatory to entering the oven I5.

A tortuous guard rail 43 extends alongside the conveyor chain 23 in the straightaway portion 31 thereof and follows the tortuous path of travel of the pads through the drying oven. The fiat sides 42 of the pads I3 face toward this guard rail during movement of the pads through the oven I5. As the pads I3 change direction in the vicinity of the side wall 32, the articles B are prevented from sliding off of the pads due to centrifugal force by means of the arcuate rims 4I. As the pads change direction in the vicinity of the side wall 33, the guard rail 43 performs this function.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 4, means is provided for circulating heated air through the drying oven I5 in a direction counter to the general direction of travel of the articles. Toward this end, a blower 44 positioned on the framework It beneath the oven I5 has its outlet side connected through a heat insulated conduit 45 with the rear end of the oven. A screened opening 45 in the bottom wall 35 adjacent the forward end thereof is connected through a return conduit 41 with the inlet side of the blower 44. Air passing through the conduit 45 is heated by means of a gas burner construction 48.

A series of baiile plates 49 is suspended from the top wall 34 of the drying oven I5 (see Figs. 2 and 4) and are staggered in such a manner that the upper portions of the articles B in progressing through the oven pass around the ends of these baflie plates. The height of the bailie plates 48 is considerably less than the height of the oven I and thus air entering the oven from the conduit 45 may pass under the baflies unobstructed in the lower regions of the oven, but in the ,upper regions thereof the air is caused to follow a tortuous path counter to the path of movement of the articles.

Referring now to Figs. 1 and 5, the cooling chamber I6 is generally of rectangular construca tortuous path therethrough, leaving the cham-' ber I6 at the rear corner thereof near the side wall 54.

conveyor I2 as will be set forth later and the fingers 65 are so spaced around the chain that proper coordination between the fingers and articles to effect the transfer is attained.

A portion 88 of the bar 84 extends along the conveyor I2 longitudinally thereof for the pur- V pose of aligning the articles on the latter for It is deemed unnecessary to describe in detail the construction of that portion of the conveyor assembly I4 which is disposed within the cooling chamber I6 inasmuch as this construction is substantially identical with that portion thereof which is disposed within the drying oven. Likewise, the baffle construction of the cooling chamber is similar to that of the drying oven. For these reasons similar reference characters to those employed in describing the heating oven are employed to designate the internal construction of the cooling chamber assembly.

Referring now to Fig. 1, means is provided for circulating cooling air through the cooling chamber I6. Toward this end, a wind conduit 18' communicates through an opening 58 in the bottom wall 56 near the rear end of the chamber. Cooling air thus introduced to the interior of the chamber I6 passes out of the chamber through a stack 58 mounted on the top wall 55 near the front end of the chamber.

Referring again to Fig. 5, the pads I3 and articles B thereon leave the cooling chamber I6 at one rear corner thereof near the side wall 54 and move into a straightaway portion 68 existing by virtue of a pair of sprocket wheels BI and 62. After passing around the sprocket wheel 62, the pads and articles enter upon a straightaway portion 63 which is coextensive with a portion of the receiving conveyor I2 of the second decorating machine and which exists by virtue of the sprocket wheel 82 and a sprocket wheel 68.

An adjustable bar 84 has a portion 85 extending diagonally of the straightaway portion 63 in the path of movement of the articles on the latter. As the articles engage the stationary adjustable bar 84 in the diagonal portion 85 thereof,

they are shifted outwardly on the pads I3 toward the conveyor I2. Simultaneously, a series of fingers 65 that extend laterally from an endless chain 66 mounted on sprockets 61 and 68 engage the articles and assist in propelling the latter from the pads I3 onto the conveyor I2. The flat sides 42 of the pads I3 occupy positions in close proximity to the side of the conveyor I2, thus providing ample supporting surface for the articles during the transfer.

The bar 84 is supported from a pair of brackets 86 which are adjustable on the frame by means of stud and slot connections 81.

The chain 66 is driven in timed relationship to the movements of the second decorating machine proper cooperation with a cradle I00 by means of which the articles are received in the second decorating machine. I

The power drive for the conveyor chain 23 is effected through the sprocket wheel 68 as will be described in detail hereinafter. Because of this fact and in order to insure adequate tractional contact between the chain 23 and the sprocket wheel which drives it, a sprocket wheel III is situated adjacent the medial region of the wall 52 near the bottom thereof and cooperates with the sprocket wheel 68 in forming a straightaway portion II. The pads I3 pass around the sprocket wheel I0 and successively enter a straightaway portion 12 extending alongside the wall 52 and existing by virtue of the sprocket wheels 18 and 13, a straightaway portion I4 extending alongside the walls 53 and 32 and existing by virtue of sprocket wheels I3 and I5 (Fig. 2), a straightaway portion I6 alongside the wall 38 existing by virtue of the sprocket wheels I5 and I1, and a straightaway portion I8 existing by virtue of the sprocket wheels 11 and 25. After the pads I3 pass around the sprocket wheel 25, they enter the straightaway portion 24 preparatory to receiving the next series of articles B thereon.

In Figs. 2 and 3 a chain tightening device is shown. The bearing box 28 for the sprocket wheel I1 is mounted on a slide member 88 which is horizontally shiftable in a guideway 8|. An elongated rod 82 extends alongside thewall 30 of the drying oven I5 and is ournalled in bear,- ings 83 and 84 secured to the frame ID. A portion of the rod 82 is threaded as at 85 and this threaded portion thereof extends through the slide member 88 in threaded engagement therewith. A hand wheel 86 on the rod 82'permits manual turning of the latter to shift the slide member in one direction or the other to tighten or loosen the conveyor chain 23 as the casemay be.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 5, the sprocket wheel 68 is driven from a shaft 80 which passes up wardly through the bearing box 28 from a gear box 8| having a connection through a shaft 82 with a motor M which is synchronized with the motor M and which constitutes the driving mechanism for the second decorating machine. A chain and sprocket mechanism 88 connects the motor M to a gear box IIII from which driving power is supplied to the conveyor I2 by means of a chain and sprocket mechanism I82. The sprocket 68 and consequently the chain 66 is driven from the gear box I8I. Since the motors M and M are synchronized, it will be seen that the two conveyors II and I2, together with the propeller chains I8 and 66 are driven in timed relationship.

From the above description it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of the herein described drying apparatus will be readily apparent.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claim.

We claim:

A drying and cooling apparatus comprising a horizontal frame, a drying oven and a cooling chamber mounted end to end on the frame in longitudinal series, a horizontal series of pads the article discharging zone to the article readapted to support thereon respective articles ceiving zone outside of the drying oven and coolto be treated, means for moving the pads horiing chamber.

zontally successively in a serpentine path ALBERT S. JACKSON. through the drying oven and cooling chamber 5 CLARENCE A. HEYNE. from an article receiving zone to an article dis- FRANCIS S. WRIGHT.

charging zone, and for returning the pads from 

